It can be hard when the Blackhawks are struggling not to look elsewhere and wonder what could be different. The team moved a lot of talented players over the past few years to manage the salary cap and pursue Stanley Cups, which has forced fans to watch the likes of Teuvo Teravainen, Phillip Danault, Stephen Johns and others play elsewhere.

That’s usually been an acceptable fate given how good the Blackhawks are without those players, an unavoidable part of being a veteran team with expensive contracts. But it’s become increasingly easy to look longingly at the guys who got away as the team in Chicago has floundered much of the season.

Some of the former Blackhawks have fared better than others — nobody is saying they miss Brandon Pirri or Andrew Desjardins — but it’s fair to say the team shipped out a lot of pieces who have gone on to success elsewhere. It’s partly a testament to the organization's ability to develop players, and partly a reflection...

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